Fuel dispensing system



May 8, 1945. c. MARSH f FUEL DIsPENsING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 18, 1942 INVENTOR.

[gigas CYR/L MARSH ATTORNEY; n

May 3 1945 c. MARSH FUEL DISPENSING SYSTEM Filed J u1y 18, 1942 2 Sheets-*Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

CYR/L MARSH LAV/39 ATTORNEY.

y Patented May 8, 1945 DIsPENsnvGKsYs'rEM Cyril Marsh, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to S. F. Bowser & Company, Incorporated, Fort Wayne, Ind., acorporation of Indiana Application July 18, 1942, Serial No. 451,456

claims. (ci. 21o- 54) This invention relates to an apparatus for re'- moving water from gasoline in a gasoline dispensing system. More-specifically, it vrelates to a gasoline dispensing system for fueling aircraft in which water is separated from the fuel and is f returned to the main tank from which it is pumped when it reaches a predetermined level.

Heretofore, it has been the practice in `aircraft fueling systems to pass the fuel and any entrained water through awater `separator of ,one

v kind or another. The Water was segregated from ffl 5 over with the fuel to the vehicle tanks.

To provide automaticdrain apparatus for each 1 cylinder was expensive and cumbersome, so that the manual operation was usually resorted to.

In accordance with the foregoing, one of the objects of the invention is to provide means for returning the separated water to the main Stor-- age tank and to control they water leveltherein.

Another object of the inventionlis to continuously bleed liquid from the water chambers of the separators and return the liquid to the storage tank.

Yetanother object of the vision of a system comprising a main pumpy and a scavenging pumpwith liquid level controlled means for controlling both pumps. n

Still another object of the invention is to provide a water level responsive control meansfor stopping the main pump, and starting ,l thescav'- enging pump where a high .water level exists.

A further object of the invention is to provide 'a iloating suction for the vmain pump, so that the liquid will be drawn from the upper, portion ofthe body of liquid, in combination with a low level control which will render the main pump inoperative before the floating suction will reach the maximum water levelin the tank,

vide a storage tank having a main pump adaptedto draw liquid `from the upper portion of liqinvention is .the proings which are attached thereto' and made a part thereof and in which: Figure 1 is anelevation showing; the dispensing systemand its component parts.

Figure 2 is a planvview of thei pit shown inr ure 1. f l

Figure 3 is a schematic wiring diagram. Figure .4 is an alternative form of drainage controlelement.` i'

' 'Referring now to Figure'1,.. the numeral I indicates a storage tank for gasoline which may be of any suitable construction. As shown,v itis a concrete tank. A` concrete pit 3 is disposed adjacent the tank and serves tohouse a pump motor54 and a water separator r'I as well as the switch housings 9 and I I and a scavenging pump Afloat I5 is fixedto the vouter end `-of .suction pipe I'I` immediately above theinlet opening I9 thereof. The pipe VI'I is connected at theother end by a swing joint ZI tothe intake endof a multiple stage, submerged type pump l23 'which is driven by a shaft 25 `connected at the upper end to the motor. :This shaft is mounted inside the discharge pipe 21 which conducts liquid from the pump to a check valve y29 and a shut-off valve 3 I.

Liquid passes from valve 3I through a strainer 33 and into the manifold 35 of the separator.

The liquid passes fromtheinletvchamber 31 of l `and 49 and up through the passage` 5I-2in`to the Yet another object of the invention is,` to'pro;

uid in the tank and a scavengingr pump` to draw 1 liquid from the bottom of the tank, together with a water level responsive control for stopping the l terbore in discharge chamber of the manifold, From thisv chamber it passes out through shut-off valve 53 and discharge pipe 55 to the `fueling pits orother dispensing equipmentwhich may be' installed in the service area. A form of fuel .dispensing ap-. paratus commonly used is disclosed in the patent to Griiiith et al. No. 1,868,497 issued July 26,11932.

Abottom head 51 closes the lowerend of the' A tube is slipped over the rod 59 and rests upon a boss 6l to support'the lower screen 45. The upper ends of theyscreens are fixed into a collar (not shown) which' rests snugly in a counpassage 5| so as to `seal the screen in place.. .A drain opening 'I3 is formed in the lower head and the drain openings in all of 'the' cylinders The shaft leaves the pipe at, the upper end n through -a stuiiing box vwhichis not shown." 1

i .ma andinth'e upper position of thjeoatuit contacts 9591511919912'2'1? .Y 1 l f 'Ihemain'v'power line istindicated"loy'numeralV aremanifolded togetherlby means of pipes 15 and ttings SI1-which connect through a back' pressure valve and relief valve 'I6 with a-throttle valve 'I9 and a dis-charge line'8 I- which passes into *the tank and terminates with its open end adyjacent the bottom thereof. This line 8| is rela? tively small and maybe a Standard pipe.

y'Ihe lforce"exerted' onsvalve |61 by spring 14; is t much less'. than the working pressure in the'system but it must'besuflicient to hold the valve closed when the pump is shut down.

When fuel is required, one of the switches |33` will be closed and a circuit will be established from one side ofthe main |23, through line |35,

The scavenging pump I3 is provided with a moeJ I tor 33 and with ya suctionline 85 which is dis? posed with-its intake opening closelyfadjacentithe .j

l bottom 4of the tank. Inlet notches 8T may be cutf Y inthe end ofthe pipe to prevent it from becom-l" 5 4stops `IllandviIl'I', jAJOat |03 riclles'freelyY upon therod between the stops and is constructed so; Jas to float in water but lto sink vin gasoline.v

W'I'heswitch housing. Il'supports three dependev t i mgrods 93 which carry e guide plate 91, at their lower ends. A i-lioat rod ;|,0| passes; through the;

guide vopening plate BI'and'ha's xedlto it atits` f lower-'end'a float |99 which is adapted to ii'oat inl g singlethrow typejis mountedfin the vapor proof lio ng jI'I y and ismconnedtedA to theV float.-|09 by rod'HlI: The lswitch is closed when the float is up," Aslngle pole, double 'throw' ,SWitchIIS is meertngthifvapor mettete s tts-shown in Figure I'lghisfswitclfi is provided; with'an overoenter spring H5V oi' other 'lholding device rclos d positions', the` lower vposition of the oat e switch lever' v|"I'ij-contacts onefpole yIl?!` Nume'rer las? indieatesplureiity of eoetroi switches which'l'are located-1 at the `dispensingr sta` tionsandwhich arer connected in parallel bethe main directly"t'o'the coiittrolv element r|39 of 1 starter|'2.'| ',5Whichelement` isfin Iturrifcoimectetl by lin'e; ITM tothe switch I Il; The latter is oon-g l 5 A li'ecircuitY of mot-or'83 and greenlainp lI3Imis-connectedto that of Vmotor 5.1'

Aswitch |33, line |31, switch lever I||`, contact ||9, line I 43, switch IH ,line IM, control element |39 and line |36backto the main.- l

The element |349, when it is thus energized, closesfthejmai-n yswitch-v .|40 for motor 5 and the green lightis lighted. ".*The motor 5 and pump 23 are thus energized and liquid will be drawn from 'the upper strata of` the body-of liquid in tank throughv the floating suction inlet I9 of pipe |T,

and: will* pass through the swing joint 2|,.purnp l 23,'pumpdischarge pipe 2'|, check valve 29, shutoif valveg3|,st1ainer 33, and the inlet chamber 37: of-.ma'nifold35g `Here theliquid is dividedk and a partl passes through the port 38 into the helical passage l39 in each of the separation chambers at a high velocity. action thus created'tends to throw any waterof heavier;v particles to the outside4 of the passage n whilethefgasolinef loccupies the 'inner lportion of the passage and" passes'.` downwardly 'and thence upwardly through'thescreens 45' and 49 into the 'passage-5|.k This reversal ofow and the-centrifugalaction both tend to remove `water jand any-'heavy material from thegasoline'and these settle to-the bottoms of-tloey cylinders 43." 1t M should benoted lthat the screens 451and149'fa're so finely'wovenfthet they win permit the passage I oflgasoline butwill`- prevent the passage of =d-ropf lets of'wate, so'that'any moisture which'fhas been formed' into 'droplets yty the Centrifugal actionv mfu screenedr out if ithey attempt to pass through'thescreens@ *The gasoline ynow vpasses up through the `port 68 an'dinto the discharge'chamber' 1|) Vofthe manifold 35`and out"throughvalve `5`3 v:arid-'rupe 55 to the discharge nozzle at the service point'.

' alent vto the ori'cedescribed below should be 'suf- Infthe System here disclosedg Vthe separatedwater and heavier vI'iiaterial does notr collectnthe vcy-linders 43,"50 that'manualdraining will be -e y -nttings 11' and use 15 and through the eeekptesi This YdrainageA *constitutes a loss-'of pum-ping 'effort;v soi that it is reduced to the ymin'imm-'rn fre'- lquiredto keep the water 'from vaccuniulating -in thek separators. -Thefamount `of valvefopen-ing is dictatedby thenwat'er l'separation kexperienced in a particular installation.` A valve opening vequivcient'under normal" conditions. iValvle' l-Bcloses tt'nlp'reverit draining thesystem whenthe pump 5 f is` stopped and also serves to'hold thetp're'ssu-re andthe switches' |33; Aline I 45 leads from conengng 'pump'start'erwhich in turn is connected Y by flittefl-tsfto'iimetas and thence to themetm Y Operatz'o'rtv l A` 'In order "tod-escribethefoperation it is' assumed that ytrreltetnk is fuuof fuel endthat tneteis no I waterinthetank. Insuch' a case iioat` |9"`wil`l" x be ventirelyupiand switchlill willibe closed whilfe neat los win be down es will rod 105v andrtney in the system down when it might Otherwise rise due to increased temperatures. 460

f *'If desired, an yoriiic'e plate 52 having ailxedl orifice:5 |J"'ca'nr be inser'tedin line A8| instead of the valve 19. The orifice' size is determined by the an'iountr of water separated in a particular install'ati'ofn' 'since the-V'conditions vary However,`

for ordinary temperate'lclimate conditions with ya v tightr tankg'anorificeof 1/4 to 1% inch should be sufficient for a 10D-gallon a minute system. n jInaccordancej with the initial assumption-that 'there .was 'no' waterl inthe tank, the stream of switch lever/twill occupy extremeclockwise;

positionfin which it Willengage contact v.`I|9.1

liquid returning :to the tank ywould be gasoline.

. However; due to breathing-throughthe'vent |60 f 'and due tojseepageandfdrainage into the tank,

water mayenter' the tank and,l dependingy upon the form and causeof entrainment ofthe lwater in'xthelgasoline,l ymay either 'enter the suction v,

The centrifugal I 1 and returned to 'thebottomof` thevtan'k by way of the line --8I or it may collect 'directly at the bottom of the tank."`

against stop |05 and will thenfpickfup switch rod 99. `When the float has ,rise'nf far'enoughto over,

comelthe over-center spring v| |5 (Figure 3) ,the switchlever ||1 will be thrown into engagement "withfcontact |2 "I'his'breaks the circuit through e;

element `|39 and'opens switcnl 40 sofas to deenergize the pump motor' andthe green light |3|,

-Atthe same time howeverya circuit is estab'- lished from the main' |23 through line |35, switch |45, control element |41, line |19, and line |36 to the main. The element |41 beingthus energized closes the switch |42 whichconnects the scavenging pump motor 83 'and the red light 4|29 vto the main.- l f Thus itwiu be seenl that nogasoline'is being pumped and that water is being pumpedl from the bottom of the tank to waste and that this operation isy indicated by the red light. s

As the water level drops', the float |03 vwill fall with the water level until its contacts stop |01. It will then pick up the switch rod 99 and as soon as spring ||5 is overcome, the switch lever I|1 will be returned to engagement with contact ||9, whereupon the circuit through element |41 will be broken to stop the scavenging pump and to extinguish light |29 while the circuit through element |39 will be reestablished and the motor 5 and light |3| will be reenergized. When this occurs, gasoline will `again be available at the dispensing point.

The system will of course be shut down when all of the switches |33 are open. l

Should the gasoline level approach the wate levelin the tank too closely,lthere is danger of water being drawn4 into the `suction line I1. To prevent this from occurring, the float |09 is disposed in the tank at such a level that, before the gasoline approaches a dangerously low level, the

level will reach the oat |09 and as the level drops still further, the oat and switch rod |0| `parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, applicant does not desire to be limited to the lspecific embodiment disclosed herein primarily for purposes of illustration; but instead, he desires protection falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In aliquid dispensing system the combination of a storage tank, a water separator, a first pump connected to pass vliuuid from the tank through the water separator` to a point of discharge and a water drain connection between said separator and said tank and a second pump connected to remove water from'said tank and means to control the operation of said second pump for maintaining the water in the tank below a predetermined level. n

2. In a liquid dispensing'system the combination of a storage tank, a water separator, a pump connected to pass liquid from the tank through level maintaining means is operative.

thewaterl separator `to ya'pointof discharge;

water4 'drain-connection between said separator fand v"saidfltank, operative meansfor maintaining -the water in the tank below a predetermined level, and means for stopping said 'pump .while said l3. .Ini aliquiddispensing ksystem the combination'of astorage tank, a water separator; ay pump connected to passamixture of water` andzliquid to-be dispensedfrom thetank through' the water 4- separator and Ito passsaid liquid to apointof' discharge; a water drain connection between' A said vseparator and the bottom of said tank,v asec'ond pump connected to draw water from the bottom of the tankarid to discharge to .wastegandfloat 'actuatedfcontrol means for said p'umps'adaptedl to prevent operation of both pumps atthe same time. "-f -f M 4. In a `liquid dispensingfsystem the combination ofyaistoragetank. va water separatona floatl ing suction mechanism, a pump connected to said mechanism to pass vliquid from the upper portion of thev body of liquid in the tank throughlthe water separator under pressure, to a-pointof'discharge, a drain connectionbetween said separator andZsaid'tankyaremote control circuit for con- -trollin'g saidpump, and means controlled by the storage tank for interrupting tion of a storage tank, a water separator, a pump connected to pass liquid fromthe tank through the water rseparator to a point of discharge, a drain connection between said separator and said tank, a second pump connected to draw liquid from the bottom of the tank and to discharge to i waste, and control means for said pumps coinprising a water level responsive device in said tank and circuits controlled thereby for connecting said second pump for operation while stopping.

said first 'mentioned pump when the maximum water level in said tank is reached.

6. In a liquid dispensing system the combination of a storage tank, a water separator, a rst pumping means connected to pass liquid from the tank through the water separator to a point of discharge, Aa water drain connection between said separator and said tank, a second pumping means connected to draw liquid from the bottom of the tank 'and to discharge to waste, control means for said rst and second pumping means comprising a water actuated oat, a switch connected for operation by said oat and adapted to occupy either of two positions, a power line, and circuits controlled by said switchv for disconnecting saidiirst pumping means from vand connecting said second pumping means with said power line when said oat attains its uppermost position and forreversing said connections when said float reaches its lowermost position.

` 7. In a liquid dispensing system the combina-` for both said pumping means comprising a water'- level responsive device anclcircuits controlled thereby for normally connecting saidfirst pumping means for operation and disconnecting said second pumping means and for connecting saidy second pumping means rfor operation while stopping said rst mentioned pumping means ivvhen the-maximum nWater level finsa-idi tank-is trames, and a Ygasoline' actuated `neet rer; stoppiitgf :said erst named pumping rneanswhelll a i predetermined lovvI level i of gasoline 'in vsaidtanky A"'sfreached.4

`s. In a liquid dispensigfsystei adaptedfo'r controlgfrom `a remote l.dispensing-'pointythe combinationgot a vstorage tank, :a water separator,

a-A pump connected to pass'liquid .from `thetank v -through--thefwater separator to a point. of vdischargea water drain connection between said separator and said tankfa second pump con,- vnected `to draw liquid'from the bottom of the tankv ,andto discharge to Wastemotors for said pumps, fcontrol, means for said pump-'motors comprising l, apowerlineya starter control element'ffor each pumpmoton a switch disposed at the dispensing point; connections between said line and said `'Silvi-tcm,` =a second switch constructed tooccupy one or thefother Yof Vtwo positions `to connect the first `switchrvvith one or the other of said control elef ment-s; Vand a water levelrresponsive float in said v tankrfor moving said second switch from onepo'l -lsition tothe other. f

I 9.1,Infa liquid dispensing svstemthe combination of a storage tank, a water separator, a

vpumping means vconnected to passv liquidirom theztankthrough the water separator to a point saidfseparator and said i-.ankg-a second-,pumping Ameans connected Ito drawliquidfromv-the bottom of discharge, a water drain connection between of the ltank and to. dischargefto waste, control means for both saidpumping means, adapteagvto vactuatesaid secondzpumping meansto maintain the `water level below a predeterminedmaximum and means for stopping said,l first pumping means 'when the llevel of said dispensing liquid lreaches a predetermined minimum'level in saidtank.v iA 10. In a liquid dispensingsystem thecombinationof a storage tank, arfloating suctionconf n'ection inthe tank; a Water separator, a vpump connected to pass-liquidfrom the-tankthrpugh said floating suctionV comiectionV and throughv the water'separator to a point of discharga agwater rdrain connection between said-separator and said tank-,1- a `,second lpumpv connected to draw lliquid from the bottom of the: tank and-to dischargeto waste, control .means for said pumpsincluding.

means responsive to thelevel of wateryin-'said tank for-actuating said second pumpVLtoU-inain- I tain thelwater level below a predetermined maximurn,y :and'additional means; responsive fto the level of dispensing vliquid in said tank for lstopping said first pump whenl the level of said dispensing liquidvreaches a. predetermined minimum level-in saidtank. c v; y 1,. Y f CYRILMARV lsn. 

